Winding device



W. C. STARKEY.

WINDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1919.

1,372,046, Patnnted 1hr. 22, 1921 3 SHEETS-SHEET l- W. C. STARKEY.

WINDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 19H).

. 1, 7 04 Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

0" 2 v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wit/1 ess W. C. STARKEY.

WINDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILE,D SEPT. 13, 1919 1,372,046, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wifness UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

7 WILLIAM C. STARKEY, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COM- IPANY, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WINDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed September 13, 1919. Serial No. 323,641.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, VVILLLUI C. STARKEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVinding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in winding devices and similar devices for applicationi to spring motors, trolley retrievers, etc. The device is particularly applicable to trolley retrievers which are adapted to pull the trolley pole down below the overhead construction whenever the collector or trolley wheel leaves the trolley wire. Devices of this character usually comprise a spring actuated drum on which the trolley rope is wound and which normally operates to keep the trolley rope taut as the pole moves up and down when traveling along the trolley wire, a powerful retrieving spring normally held under tension and. out of connection with the drum, and mechanism for automatically releasing and interlocking the re trieving spring with the drum when the trolley pole leaves the wire so that the drum will be rotated in a direction to wind u 3 the rope thereby to pull down the pole. tter the device has operated to pull down the trolley pole it becomes necessary to rewind the retrieving spring and restore the parts to normal operating positions. This is usually accomplished by the operator pulling outward upon the trolley rope; that is unwind it from the drum whereby the drum will be rotated in the direction to wind up the spring and reset the device. In practice this resetting operation is a very d-iflicult task for the operator to perform from his station in the car as the operator is compolled to pull out ornnwind the rope against ing the trolley ropeagainst direct action of the retrieving spring to restore the device to normal operating condition and has for its primary object the provision of improved means whereby the device may be easlly and vide in a de *ice of the character referred to improved resetting means controlled by shifting the handle from one position to another.

A further object is to provide means for yieldably maintaining the handle in inoperative position. i

A still further obiect of this invention is to provide an improved device of this character which will be simple, durable, reliable and compact in construction, and effective and efficient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an ordinary trolley retriever shown as equipped with my improved rewinding or resetting means, and in which the handle is shown in inoperative position in solid lines, and in operative position in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the rewinding s5 position. i

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown partly .in section to illustrate more clearly the constructional arrangement of the various parts and showing also my improved resetting means in inoperative po sition. i

Fig. 4; is a viewlooking at the inside of the cover showing the rcwinding gears.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and showing the l retriever disk in interlocked relation with the case and the drum free to rotate in either direction. s

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the mechanism in the act of unlocking the disk and also showing the retriever disk unlocked from the case and about to commence its retrieving action. i

The same reference characters indicate the same parts throughout theseveral views. Referring to the drawings and which illustrate the embodiment of the preferred form of my invention shown as applied to a trolley retriever comprising a casing 1 having a cover 2 removably secured thereto in thensual manner, the casing is formed with a recess 3 wherein is mounted a power or retrieving spring it-having its outer end secured to the casing, as by rivets 5, and its inner end connected to the hub 6 of a retriever disk 7 in any suitable or well known manner. The disk 7 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 8 secured in the casing and is adapted to rotate in one direction by action of the spring 4 and when rotated in the opposite direction winds up the spring. The disk'is formed with a peripheral flange 9 provided with a suitable slot wherein is arranged a double latch adapted to normally lockthe disk to the casing against relative rotation and to hold the retrieving spring under tension. This latch comprises two lovers 11 and 12 pivoted at 13 and 1 1 respectively to the disk and having their inner or adjacent ends pivotally connected together so that they will both move snmiltaneously and forming substantially a knuckle jointed device, as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. When the latch is in locking position its free ends15 and 16 project outward beyond the periphery of the disk and in position to engage lugs 17 and 18 formed in the casing,

see Fig. 5, and in which position the disk will be interlocked withthe casing against relative rotation in either direction and the retrieving spring held under tension.

' Rotatably mounted, preferably upon another hub extension 19 of the disk is a drum 20 adapted to receive the trolley'rope 21, and which is formed with a compartment 22 wherein is mounted a service spring 23 which is wound and adapted torotate the drum in a direction to keep the trolley rope taut so as to render the device instantlyresponsive to the abnormal fluctuations of the trolley pole. The drum normally follows the movement of the trolley pole and'in case of an abnormal rise in said pole is arranged to actuate mechanism which willnnl ck the retriever disk and connect it with the drum so that the latter will be rotated in a direction to wind up the rope and pull down the pole In order to throw in the latch to release the retriever disk the drum carries a plurality 01 centrifugal dogs 24 which are pivotally'. mounted in suitable sockets or bearings 25 formed in bosses 26 on the side of the drum ad acent the retriever dlsk. Under normal operation these dogs are .yieldably maintained in inward or retracted pos tion by sprlngs 27, the free ends of the dogs resting againstthe adjacent bosses. as shown in Fig. 5. The dogs are arranged so thatthey will besensitive to abnormal fluctuations of the trolley pole, such for instance aswhen' the pole leaves the wire and flies and hence within the path of the free ends of the dogs 2% when thrown outwardly. in consequence, the tripping dog which at the 'instant is nearest to the joint of the latch,

will strike said joint and force it outwardly, thus throwing the ends 15 and ill of the latch inwardly and thereby release tl e retriever disk whirh will then be free to rotate by action of the retrieving spring".

iissni'ning now that the latch has been thrown out and the retriever disk released. as indicated in 6, it now remains to lock the disk and drum together. This accomplished by the tripping dog which. after actuatingthe latch to release the disk. passes the latch and continues until it reaches the shoulder 28 termed in the flange 9 of the retriever disk. By thus engaging said shoulder the tripping don positively interlocks the retriever disk and drum and the latter will be carried with the disk and will wind up the trolley rope.

The retriever mechanism so far described is a. part of that shown and described in irierding' Patent No. 1,212,343. dated Jan. 16, 1917. and includes such parts only as are necessary to obtain a clear umlerstanding of the present invention. A. complete description of the mechanism and operation of the retriever may be had by referring to the above patent. While I have shown my invention applied to this particular type of trolley retriever. it will be understood that it is not limited thereto. as I contemplate applying the invention to any trolley retriever. reeling device. or the like wherein a. powerful spring is employed which must be wound up or reset.

After the retriever has operated to wind up the trolley rope and pull down the pole itbccomes necessary to restore the parts of the device to their normal operating condiition. that is. the retriever spring must be wound up or reset. For this purpose and in accordance with my invention. l provide, a gear 30 rotataldy mounted upon a bearing 31 projecting from the inner surfai e of the cover 2. This grcar rotates with the drum and is interlocked therewith by means of one or more pins 32 secured to the near and extending within suitable apertures pro vided in the drum, as shown.

The cover 2 is formed with a chamber or housing 33 comprising bearing 31 wherein'is slidably and rotatably mounted a stem 35 having a driver or pinion 36 secured to All flll

lllll llU its inner end. A spring 37 is compressed between the pinion 3G and the end wall of the housing and constantly urges the pinion to move in the direction toward the gear 30. Pivotally secured to theouter end of the stem 35 is a crank 37 by-ineans of a pin 38 which is otlset or located at such a point on the crank, so that by swinging" or rotating the crank aboutits pivot point the stem may be moved axially to carry the pinion 36 111 5001."

ing the retriever the crankis moved to the positionyshown in Fig. 2, and in which position the driver 36 is in engagement with the gear 30. Then by turningthe crank in one direction, rotary inovement'may beiniparted tothe drum in a rope unwinding di rection through the connectedgears. This rotationof the drum operates to wind up the bower s'n'in throu h the connecting mechai. m t": i a i nism.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the retriever may beeasily and conveniently reset bysimply turning the crank, instead of pulling out on the trolley rope, and that by varying the size of one or both oi the the parts may be designed to require any predetermined amount of pres of the crank 37 pivotally connected to the stem li'orms substantially a. cam device, and will hereinafter be referred to as such. l-laving thus fully described my invention and illustrated one embodiment of the some, I do not wish to be limited to the details of the construction shown since these can be obviously changed without departing from the spirit and scope of this in vention. i i

I claim 1.. A spring motor provided with a gear to rotate with same having in combination ill with a winding device comprising a pinion adapted to move into and out oi on on out of engagement withthe gear, a handle to rotate the gear and movable into and out of operating position in a plane parallel to the axis of the motor and arranged to automatically disengage the pinion from the t ar when the handle 15 moved out of the operating position and means to automatically engage the pinion with the gear when m ment with the gear but normally held the handle is moved into the operating position whereby the spring; motor may be wound by rotating the handle about its axis.

9. A spring motor provided with a gear to rotate with same, having in combination therewith a winding device comprising a pinion adapted to movcinto and out of engagement withthe gear but normally held out or engagement with the gear, ahandle to 1'0- tate thegcar and movable into and out of operating position and arranged to automatically disengage the pinion from the gear when the handle is moved out of the operating position and means to automatically ongagre the pinion with the gear. when the hair a die is moved into the operating position whereby the spring motor may be wound by rotating the handle about its axis. a i i 3. A spring motor provided with a gear to rotate withsame, having in combination therewith a winding device Comprising a pinion adapted to move -to and out of engagement with the year but normally held eat of engagement with the gear, a handle to to rotate with same, having in combination thormvith a winding device comprising a pinion adapted to move into and out of enganicnient with. the gear but normally held out of engagement with the gear, a handle to rotate the gear and movable into and out oft operating position and arranged to disengage the pinion from the gear when the handle is moved outot' operating position and means to automatically engage the pinion with the gear when the handle is moved into the operating position whereby the spring motor may be wound by rotating the handle about its axis.

5. A. spring motor mounted to a support and bovine; in combination therewith a gear arraim edto rotate therewith, a stem secured to the support and arranged to move ax1- ally thereof, a pinion secured to the stem to engage and disengage the pinion when n'ioved axially with the stem, a handle movahly secured to the stem to rotate the stem and pinion and having two positions, an operating and an inoperating position, and means to move the stem and pinion in one direction axially when the handle is moved to the inoperating position and hold it in said position. and means to move the stem and pinion in the other direction axially when the handle is moved to the operating position to engage the pinion with the gear.

move into and'out oi operating position, a

gearing between the handle and the motor to wind the motor, means for automatically moving the gearing into operating relation avith the motor, and means for automatically moving the gearing out of operating relation with the motor when the handle is moved out of operating position.

7. A winding device for amechanism comprising a frame, a gear secured to the mechanism to be wound and to rotate therewith, a pinion "movable into and out of engagement with the gear, a stem mounted on the frame and secured to the pinion, a handle movably connected to the stem for rotating the stem and pinion and having two positions, an operating and an inoperating position, and means on the handle coacting with means on the frame for automatically moving the pinion out of engagement with the gear when the handle is moved to an inoperating position. 1

8. A windingdevice tor a mechanism comprising a frame, a gear secured to the mechanism to be wound and to rotate therewith, a-v pi'nion movable into and out of engagement with the gear, a stem mounted on the frame and secured to the pinion, a handle movably connected to the stem for rotating thestem and pinion and having two positions, an operating and an inoperating po sition, and means for automatically moving the pinion into engagement with the gear when the pinion is moved'to an operating position. Y

9. A winding device for a mechanism comprising a frame, gearing adapted to engage the mechanism to wind the same, a handle for actuating the gearing, means for automatically throwing the gearing into and out of operating position, said means operating hy'throwing the handle into or out of operating position and means for holding the handle in an inoperating position when not in use.

10. A winding device for a mechanism comprising a support to which the mechanism is secured, a gear arranged to rotate with the mechanism, a stem mounted on the support and having its axis displaced with respect to the axis of the gear and arranged to move axially of the support, a pinion secured to the stem to engage and disengage the pinion when moved axially with the stem, a handle movably secured to the stem to rotate the stem and pinion and having two positions, an operating and an inoperating position, and means to move the stem and pinion in one direction axially when the handle is moved to the inoperating position and hold it in said position and means to move the stem and pinion in the other direction axially when the handle is moved to the operating position to engage the pinion with the gear.

lll A winding device for a mechanism comprising a frame, gearing adapted to engage the mechanism to wind the same, a handle for actuating the gearing, means for automatically throwing the gearing into and out of operating position, said means operating by throwing the handle into or out of operating position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

lVILLIAh I G. STARKE Y. 

